Page 56 - Uttarakhand

Ankita Bhandari case: Angry locals block Badrinath-Rishikesh highway

Anger over the Ankita Bhandari death case poured onto the streets as the locals blocked the Badrinath Rishikesh highway area in front of the base hospital where Ankita's remains are kept

Power has gone into heads of BJP leaders: AAP on murder in Uttarakhand

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Saturday termed as extremely shameful the murder of a 19-year old woman receptionist of a resort in Uttarakhand and alleged that the crime was the result of the power going into the heads of the BJP leaders. The AAP attacked the BJP after Uttarakhand Police on Friday arrested Pulkit Arya, son of a BJP leader Vinod Arya from Haridwar, for allegedly killing the teenager who had been missing for the last few days. Along with Arya, the police also arrested the manager and the assistant manager of the resort, owned by the BJP leader's son in Pauri's Yamkeshwar block. All the three were sent to judicial custody for two weeks. The state police chief Ashok Kumar on Saturday said that the woman receptionist, whose body was fished out from a canal, was being pressured by the resort owner to provide "special services" to the guests. Extremely shameful, the AAP chief spokesperson Saurbah Bharadwaj said when asked for his party's reaction at a press conference here.

BJP expels party leader after son arrested in Uttarakhand murder case

The BJP Saturday expelled Vinod Arya and his son from the party a day after the leader's another son was arrested in the murder case of a woman receptionist at a resort in Pauri. Vinod Arya's son Pulkit -- who owns the resort in Pauri's Yamkeshwar block -- was arrested Friday along with two employees of the resort for allegedly killing the receptionist, who had been missing for the past few days. The party's media incharge Manveer Chauhan said on Saturday that action has been taken against Vinod Arya and Ankit on the orders of state BJP president Mahendra Bhatt. Vinod Arya, a party leader from Haridwar, has formerly served as a chairman of the Uttarakhand Mati Board with a state minister's rank. Pulkit's brother Ankit is the vice president of state OBC Commission. The three murder accused -- Pulkit Arya, resort manager Saurabh Bhaskar and assistant manager Ankit Gupta -- were sent to 14-day judicial custody by a court on Friday.

BJP's expenses on assembly polls in five states up 58% to Rs 344 cr

In 2017, BJP had spent Rs 218.26 crore on the elections in the five states. In 2022, the expense was Rs 344 crore. Congress's bill rose from Rs 108.14 crore to Rs 194.80 during the same period

Uttarakhand reports over 500 dengue cases; Dehradun, Haridwar most affected

The number of dengue cases in Uttarakhand has crossed the mark of 500, informed the state Directorate of Medical Health and Family Welfare

Uttarakhand government directs medical officers to check spread of dengue

Uttarakhand's in-charge secretary of health R Rajesh Kumar said that all chief medical officers (CMO) have been instructed to prevent dengue cases in the state

Uttarakhand CM Dhami to visit cloudburst-hit Pithoragarh village on Sunday

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami will visit the cloudburst-hit areas of Uttarakhand's Pithoragarh district on Sunday and meet the affected people in Khotila village. The cloudburst that occurred past midnight in a border village of Nepal triggered a flash flood in Khotila village on the Indian side as surging waters of the Kali river rushed into homes, filling them with sludge and killing a woman. The body of Pashupati Devi, resident of Khotila village, was later pulled out of the sludge that had choked her house after the flooding of the river, Pithoragarh District Magistrate Ashish Chauhan said.

Prize money for medal winners increased to promote sports: Uttarakhand CM

After the Uttarakhand Sports Department increased the prize money awarded to medal-winning players and coaches, the Chief Minister stated that the move was made to promote sports in the state.

Uttarakhand Public Service Commission to conduct recruitment to 7,000 posts

The Uttarakhand Cabinet on Friday decided to take away the responsibility of conducting recruitment to 7,000 government posts from the state Subordinate Service Selection Commission as the body is facing a probe in a paper leak case. The government handed over the responsibility to the State Public Service Commission. It has been done to maintain probity and transparency in recruitment examinations, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said. The chief minister has asked the State Public Service Commission to issue a calendar of recruitment examinations to be held in Uttarakhand and start the process.

Pressure mounts on Uttarakhand govt to take tough steps against corruption

On July 22 this year, the police started investigation into the alleged paper leak for class III government jobs through the Uttarakhand Subordinate Services Selection Commission (UKSSSC)

Uttarakhand minister questions norms for recruitment of Agniveers into army

Uttarakhand's Tourism Minister Satpal Maharaj has questioned the norms being followed for the recruitment of "Agniveers" into the armed forces in the hill state. "The height requirement for the hill people in Army recruitment rallies was reduced during the time of (former Chief of Defence Staff) General Bipin Rawat to 163 centimetres. But the colonel looking after the recruitment process for Agniveers in Kotdwar is still following the 170-centimetre criterion," Maharaj said in a video statement. He said he has spoken to Union Minister of State for Defence Ajay Bhatt about it and asked him to ensure that the recruitment of Agniveers is done strictly in accordance with the norms. "As people in the hills are usually not very tall, a relaxation in the height requirement was given to the Army aspirants in Uttarakhand during the time of late General Bipin Rawat. However, it has been brought to my notice that the norm set by General Rawat is not being followed in the recruitment rally for

Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh weather update, Aug 22: Heavy rainfall alert

Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh and several states of India might experience heavy rainfall for the next few days, reports the Indian Meteorological Department. Read this written piece to know everything

Accused in arson case at Salman Khurshid's house acquitted: Uttarakhand HC

The Uttarakhand High Court has acquitted the two main accused in the November 2021 case of vandalism and arson at the house of senior Congress leader and former Union minister Salman Khurshid. Kundan Chilwal and Rakesh Kapil were acquitted of the charges by senior Justice Sanjay Kumar Mishra on Thursday on the basis of a letter of settlement produced by the caretaker of Khurshid's property, who was also the complainant in the matter. On November 15, 2021, arson, vandalism and firing were reported at Khurshid's house in village Puda in Mukteshwar, causing damage to the property. On the complaint of the caretaker of the house Sundar Ram, the police had registered a case against Chilwal and Kapil. Earlier, the court had stayed their arrest. On Thursday, an agreement was presented before the court on behalf of Chilwal, Kapil and caretaker Sundar Ram. Based on this, the court disposed of the case. The agreement states that these people were not involved in the incident which was carri

Arrested in question paper leak case, Uttarakhand BJP expels Hakam Singh

The BJP Sunday expelled from the party Uttarkashi district panchayat member Hakam Singh Rawat after he was arrested in connection with the Uttarakhand Subordinate Services Selection Commission case

One who feels for India will hoist tricolour, says Uttarakhand BJP chief

Uttarakhand BJP chief Mahendra Bhatt said his demand for photos of houses which have not hoisted the national flag was only meant for party workers and not for the general public

Cricketer Rishabh Pant appointed as brand ambassador of Uttarakhand

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Thursday named cricketer Rishabh Pant as the brand ambassador of the state. The wicketkeeper-batter was born in Roorkee in Uttarakhand's Haridwar district. Naming Pant as the state's brand ambassador at Uttarakhand Sadan in Delhi, Dhami said his achievements in the world of cricket due to his strong willpower despite coming from a very ordinary background can be a source of inspiration for everyone. He has carved a niche for himself in the world of cricket. He has done both his state and the country proud. Honouring him as the brand ambassador will inspire young people in the field of sports to carve an identity of their own, Dhami said. Pant thanked the chief minister for conferring him with the honour and giving him an opportunity to serve the state.

Uttarakhand: NIM to host national sports climbing championship from Aug 12

The Nehru Institute of Mountaineering will host the national sports climbing championship here from August 12-14

Uttarakhand tourism department to develop 'Modi circuit' at Corbett reserve

The Uttarakhand tourism department is working on a plan to develop a "Modi circuit" at the Corbett Tiger Reserve, covering the places visited by PM Modi while shooting for a TV programme in 2019

First Himalayan spice garden inaugurated in Uttarakhand's Ranikhet

A Himalayan spice garden, a first of its kind in the entire Indian Himalayan Region and country, was inaugurated by noted historian Shekhar Pathak in Uttarakhand's Ranikhet on Friday

Over 250 roads blocked as incessant rains in Uttarakhand lead to landslides

Incessant rains lashed various parts of Uttarakhand on Saturday triggering a number of landslides in the hilly areas which blocked over 250 roads, including the national highways